


Undiscovered Ports

by Arbryna



Category: Lost Girl
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pirates, F/F, One Shot, Pirates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-01
Updated: 2013-06-01
Packaged: 2017-12-13 14:31:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/825375
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arbryna/pseuds/Arbryna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Captain Bo of <i>The Unaligned</i> is about to find out once and for all just whose side Tamsin is on.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Undiscovered Ports

Waves lap against the sides of the small boat, rocking it back and forth as it’s maneuvered around the treacherous rocks jutting up from the water like the teeth of some great sea monster. Tamsin works the oars like she was born for it, guiding them through the maze toward the shore as though she knows the way by heart. On second thought, Bo thinks darkly, she probably does. 

What a sight she makes, though: golden hair sticking to her neck, rivulets of sweat sliding down over milky skin that, despite being well-kissed by the sun, retains an eerie pallor reminiscent of death. Strange, that her very nature is the one thing that looks out of place. Everything else about the woman is vibrant with life—the smooth flex of muscle in her arms as she pumps the oars, the way her eyes seem to change color as often as the sea. 

Hunger thrums in Bo’s chest, and not the kind that can be sated with food. She remembers well the taste of Tamsin’s life force, the way it popped and sparked on her tongue. It’s a good thing Bo’s fed recently, or the temptation to taste it again might be more than she could control—not to mention the prospect of discovering first-hand what it feels like when all that fire Tamsin keeps bottled up breaks free. 

It’s not something she’s likely ever to find out. Bo knows all too well why Tamsin is taking her to this secluded island, and it has nothing to do with helping her find her runaway ship’s doctor. _Ye’d do well to keep that in mind,_ Bo chides herself. She tears her eyes from Tamsin, pulling off her worn leather hat with one hand and wiping the sweat from her brow with the other. _The Unaligned_ bobs gently in the distance, having dropped anchor before she could run afoul of the rocks surrounding the small island. With a sigh, Bo drops the hat back onto her head, hoping this isn’t the last time she sees the ship she’s come to call home.

The dinghy jerks as it touches shore, and Bo steels herself for the fight that is sure to come. There’s still a chance Tamsin won’t go through with this; it’s the only reason Bo agreed to come along—well, that and the vision she had of this very island, of a man that might be her father. What the two might have to do with one another is a mystery, but it’s one she has every intention of unraveling. 

Tamsin is out of the boat and halfway to the tree line by the time Bo’s boots touch sand. “Try to keep up, succubus.” She smirks, one hand on her hip as the other adjusts the faded green scarf holding back her hair. The beach they’ve landed on is a small one, walled in by sharp rocks on either side. There are only two directions here: into the jungle, or back the way they came, through the crags and out onto the open sea.

“Don’t be worryin’ about me.” Bo’s fingers itch to reach for her cutlass, but she clenches them into a fist instead, jogging the short distance to catch up. “Yer awful eager to meet this contact of yours,” Bo remarks, watching Tamsin carefully for a reaction. “Didn’t know ye cared so much fer the good doctor.” 

Something flashes in Tamsin’s eyes, almost too quick to see. She presses her lips together and turns around, calling back over her shoulder, “It’s time to end this.” 

“Then let’s be endin’ it.” Bo holds her ground, but doesn’t draw her weapon—not yet. “We both know this has nothing to do with findin’ Lauren.”

When Tamsin turns again, her smirk has turned to a feral grin, and the green of her eyes is cold and malicious. “What do ye know,” she drawls, reaching for the cutlass at her hip, “yer smarter than ye look.” 

Disappointment is pushed aside as Bo shakes her head; she can mourn lost opportunities later, but for now she’s got a fight to win. She shrugs off her knee-length coat and tosses it aside along with her hat, reaches up to tighten the red scarf around her head. Tamsin’s aura flashes hot as her green eyes linger on what’s left—long leather vest and breeches, tight enough to display every supernaturally supple curve. Bo takes note of the blonde’s distraction; she’ll use every advantage she’s got. “I knew I couldn’t trust ye,” she sneers, curling her hand around the hilt of her sword.

“Aye?” Tamsin’s gaze hardens as she draws her weapon and starts to slowly circle Bo. “What gave it away?”

“Oh, a lot of little things,” Bo replies with a shrug, mirroring Tamsin’s actions. “Mainly the fact that I heard ye talkin’ to yer druid friend.” She arches an eyebrow. “Next time ye plan a secret meeting to discuss yer impending betrayal, make sure yer actually alone.” 

“Damn,” Tamsin says, her grin never wavering. “Now ye’ve gone and spoiled the surprise.”

“Ye know I won’t come quietly.”

“Aye.” Tamsin nods, her free hand drifting to the sash around her waist. “That’s why I came prepared.” The sunlight glints bright off of the amber vial she pulls out of some hidden pocket.

“What’s that do?” Bo asks, trying to sound unconcerned. She knows plenty about captaining a ship, but there’s still too much about the Fae she’s in the dark about. That vial could mean the death of her.

“Let’s find out.” Tamsin throws the vial hard at Bo’s feet; her aim is true, and the glass shatters against a rock peeking out of the sand. 

Orange sparks erupt around Bo, only to fizzle and dissipate within mere moments. Bo doesn’t feel any different, and from the look on Tamsin’s face, she’s pretty sure something more impressive was supposed to happen.

“I hope ye’ve got something better than that,” Bo says with a smirk. 

Tamsin shrugs, rolling her shoulders in preparation. “I’ll just have to take ye down the hard way.” 

Without warning, Tamsin lunges forward, her cutlass swinging down at Bo’s neck. Bo parries easily, and the fight begins. The clash of steel rings out over the sound of the waves as they trade blows. Tamsin forces Bo back onto the loose sand, where footing is unreliable at best. It’s all either of them can do to stay on their feet, but neither falters badly enough to give the other advantage.

“There’s one thing I can’t get right in my head,” Bo pants, when she manages to corner Tamsin against the rocks lining one side of the beach, their blades locked together above Tamsin’s head. “What yer brilliant escape plan might be. Ye can’t be thinking me crew will let ye back on board without me?” 

The question doesn’t seem to faze Tamsin a bit. “Ye don’t know much about valkyries, do ye love?” Abruptly, a booted foot slams hard against Bo’s stomach, knocking her back onto the sand. Bo’s cutlass flies out of her hand at the sudden impact, landing several paces away. Tamsin grins knowingly as she looms over Bo, her blade pointed down at Bo’s chest. “I be about to die, and not for the first time. But I won’t be joining Davy Jones. I’ll come back good as new, ready for another century or two of fun.”

“That’s a nice trick,” Bo admits, her eyes darting around to take stock of her situation. It’s not hopeless yet. “Though I’m sorry to say ye’ll be dyin’ unsatisfied this time.” 

Barely half a chuckle escapes Tamsin’s lips before Bo’s feet hook around her ankles, toppling her onto the sand as well. Bo is in motion immediately, straddling Tamsin and lashing out at her wrist to loosen her grip on her weapon. When that doesn’t work, she lets a healthy dose of her power leech out into Tamsin’s skin; it’s not enough to win the fight, but it’s enough to distract Tamsin long enough to pry the sword from her hand and toss it a safe distance away. 

Tamsin responds instantly, closing her hand around Bo’s throat. “Nice try,” Tamsin says, bucking her hips to reverse their positions. “but I always get what I’m after.”

Bo grips Tamsin’s wrist, and she can feel Tamsin’s pulse pounding against her fingertips, racing as fast as her own. “Well that’s where we have a problem,” she chokes out, shifting her hands to the open collar of Tamsin’s shirt and pulling her closer. “So do I.” 

As Bo begins to feed, sucking the life and energy from her, Tamsin has no choice but to release Bo’s throat. She knocks Bo’s hands away from her shirt, throwing her weight to the side to escape Bo’s power. 

Sand kicks up beneath them as they grapple, struggling for the upper hand. Tamsin gets Bo onto her back again, and this time she doesn’t waste time with physical attacks. Her face seems to cave in, the hollows around her eyes turning black. It’s almost like her skin is melting away, leaving only the haunting visage of death. Doubt starts to creep into Bo’s thoughts, eating away at the edges of her confidence. 

“Ye don’t want to be fightin’ me,” Tamsin says, her voice like cold steel wrapped in velvet. “Ye want to succumb.” 

For a moment it almost works. Bo can feel the suggestion working its way under her skin, seeping into her muscles. She’s stronger than Tamsin thinks, though; certainly stronger than Tamsin counted on. Fighting off the feeling of doubt, Bo throws a punch at Tamsin’s jaw, knocking her off balance. While Tamsin lands hard on the ground next to her, Bo scrambles to her feet, intending to make a rush for her sword, but Tamsin’s hand wraps around her ankle and she falls face-first into the sand instead. 

Spitting sand out of her mouth, Bo twists her body as Tamsin drags her back by her foot. She kicks out with her other foot, landing a good blow on Tamsin’s fingers. Tamsin releases Bo’s ankle and launches herself forward, trying to wrestle her way on top again; Bo is ready for her, and quickly wraps her legs around Tamsin’s waist, rocking them both to the side. 

Bo straddles Tamsin’s hips, yanking her forward by her shirt until their lips are nearly touching. In this moment, she knows she can win. Tamsin is tired, out of breath; all it will take is a few moments of feeding and she’ll be unconscious, or even dead if Bo wills it. 

What stops her is the look in Tamsin’s eyes; the fight is gone, replaced by an almost desperate resignation. It reminds Bo of the time Tamsin drunkenly invaded her cabin, the conflicted look in her eyes as she rambled aimlessly about all of Bo’s attributes. She was sure then, as she’s sure now, that Tamsin didn’t want to hurt her. 

“No.” Bo sighs and releases her hold on Tamsin’s shirt, letting her fall back onto the sand. 

“Do ye be insane?” Tamsin says, her voice hoarse and pleading. “Or just a coward? Finish it!”

“I won’t be doin’ that, Tamsin,” Bo replies, sitting back on her heels. “And ye don’t want to be doin’ this.” 

Something almost like a growl sounds in Tamsin’s throat as she pushes up, drawing her pistol from behind her back. Bo swallows roughly, her eyes wide with surprise; she didn’t realize Tamsin was still armed. 

“I be dead already,” Tamsin says through gritted teeth, pressing the muzzle of the gun under Bo’s jaw. The hammer clicks as she locks it back. “Might as well bring ye with me.” 

Breathing heavily, Bo looks deep into Tamsin’s eyes. “There be more life in you than anyone I ever met.” Her heart pounds against her ribs as she waits—either for death, or for Tamsin to back down.

Tamsin herself doesn’t seem to know which to choose. Her hand shakes where it grips the pistol. Finally her face crumbles, her hand falls; she puts up no fight when Bo takes the gun and tosses it away from them. When Bo looks back at Tamsin, she’s amazed to see green eyes wide with fear and moist with the threat of tears. 

“It be all right,” Bo says softly, trying to be reassuring, but her words only seem to frighten Tamsin more.

“Ye don’t understand,” Tamsin gasps, her gaze darting around frantically. “I’ve cursed us both. There be no place to hide that he won’t find us.” 

Bo reaches out to cup the side of Tamsin’s face, guiding their eyes together. When she speaks, her voice trembles with conviction. “Whoever he be, whatever he might throw at us, we’ll fight and we’ll win. We put our heads together, we can find a way out of this.” 

For a long time, Tamsin just stares, lips parted in awe. “I’ve seen all manner of things,” she says slowly, when she finally remembers how to speak, “in all my many lifetimes. But I’ve never seen anything what compares to you.” 

The passion and wonder in Tamsin’s voice strike at something deep in Bo, and suddenly everything that’s happened between them replays in her mind; every time Tamsin helped her with nothing to gain from it, every word she’s said that seemed to have a deeper meaning, every time they’ve touched that felt like lightning against Bo’s skin, it all falls into place. There’s something in the very air between them, something that was always meant to be explored.

Tamsin’s cheek is hot under Bo’s hand, and her soft, stuttering breaths brush against the inside of Bo’s wrist, sending little shivers up her arm. Bo feels like she’s treading water in the middle of the open sea, clinging tight to a rescue line that’s pulling her ever closer to something thrilling and unknown. Her heart hammers in her chest as she leans closer, brushing Tamsin’s lips with her own. 

At first Tamsin is frozen in place, stiff and unbelieving. Then Bo presses again, more firmly this time, and a tiny whimper sounds in Tamsin’s throat as she melts into the kiss. Teeth and tongues collide, and Bo moans as Tamsin’s hands clutch at her hips. Her own hands sink into blonde hair, fingers curling sharply as Tamsin’s teeth close down on her lower lip. 

A lock of hair comes loose in Bo’s hand, and she stiffens. It’s a stark reminder of reality; this is hardly the time or place to be doing this. Bo breaks the kiss, gasping for air as she opens her eyes.

“We should be gettin’ back to the ship,” Tamsin murmurs, looking away. 

Bo reluctantly stands, extending a hand down to help Tamsin up. When they’re both standing, Bo keeps her grip on Tamsin’s hand, squeezing gently until Tamsin meets her eyes. “We’ll be comin’ back to this later,” she says with a sly smile. 

Tamsin’s mouth curves up in response, and Bo can see the blonde’s confidence slowly returning, in the set of her shoulders and the arch of her eyebrow. “Ye can be countin’ on that.”


End file.
